Sweeter than Death: The 42nd Annual Hunger Games
by QueenOfSwordsAndDaggers
Summary: Poison can be as sweet as sugar, and what tempts may kill. Submit your tribute, and perhaps they will make it out alive. Perhaps.


Sweeter than Death

Faron Delta sighed as yet another crying figure ran from the office. Head Gamemaker Avare Bain was being crueller than usual with this year's ideas- that said, she was cruel at the best of times, and coming up with a theme for the 42nd Annual Hunger Games was enough to worry a morphling. The past three years had been some of the most entertaining Games ever, but it would be Bain's head on a platter if this year failed to thrill.

There was a crash from the office as though a plat had been smashed, and yet another Gamemaker emerged in tears. Faron tried for a reassuring smile as the woman passed him, but that only served to make the tears flow faster. With a roll of his eyes, Faron returned to his clip board of ideas.

His entirely empty clipboard of ideas.

Cursing, Faron glanced round for inspiration. Bain would call him in soon, and if he presented her with nothing…Faron shivered at the thought. He glanced around frantically, taking in the opulent furniture and crystal chandeliers that adorned the foyer. Could you have a luxury-themed Games? No, no…..There would be no death by natural causes, and it tended to drag on without those. Desperately, Faron jotted it down and resumed his desperate search of the room, on his feet.

He pulled open the doors of the cabinet to his left, but it was filled with tableware. Plates made awful weapons- Faron knew this from experience. Hastily, he pulled open a draw and rifled through it, searching among the papers and arena sketches. He grabbed a few of those, but all the designs were from previous years- the previous Games had a lovely nightmare theme, with permanent darkness and mutts even Bain had thought were menacing. One girl had been caught by a pack of spider mutts, and Faron could still recall her dying screams-

Caught up in this grisly reverie, Faron didn't hear Bain's shout. He almost jumped as she called again, screaming so loud people fourteen floors below probably looked up in alarm. With a nervous laugh he shut the drawer, hugged his clipboard to his chest and strode across to the office, pulling the door open with more confidence than he really had.

"You called?" He mumbled, keeping his eyes downcast. Bain took eye contact as a challenge- she was like an animal that way.

"Ideas, Delta. You're due to present them. Now." Bain's tone was colder than ever, and Faron shifted uncomfortably beneath the weight of her glower.

"Well, erm…We could…" Faron caught a glimpse of Bain's expression and sped up. "We could have a luxury themed arena?" He pushed a green strand of hair behind his ear and smiled tentatively.

The glare intensified.

"Or…or….a pottery theme?" he added, remembering the cupboard of china.

Bain was clearly not pleased- a paperweight went sailing through the air, narrowly missing Faron and hitting the wall with a thud. The sound of smashing glass punctuated the silence as Faron struggled for another idea. He glanced up, avoiding Bain's eye but taking in her desk. On it sat another paperweight, a paper and-

A slice of cake.

Faron raised his gaze, squaring up. "A dessert themed Games."

"Dessert themed?" Her tone was incredulous, but Faron could see Bain was impressed. There'd never been anything like it- the possibilities were endless. Besides, the Head Gamemaker had a sweet tooth.

"Very well." Bain murmured; the ghost of a smile on her dry lips. "You may leave."

Thanking whichever God invented pudding, Faron hurried from the room, taking the steps two at a time until he reached the exit.

In her office, Avare Bain smiled a smile as sharp as razors. The green haired Gamemaker may be an imbecile, but she couldn't deny it was a brilliant idea. Avare had already begun sketching mutts, and she could picture the arena already- sweet but deadly.

After all, what is sweeter than death?

**So that's the prologue! I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you decide to submit to my SYOT- good quality tributes are always welcome, and you can find the form on my profile page.**

**Queen Of Swords and Daggers**


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